Translucent insulating building block



Jan. 6, 1942. L. w. MULFORD TRANSLUCENT INSULATING BUILDING BLOCK Filed March 21, 1958 INVENTOR A Gee/v h/m 420 /70. F0190 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAN SLUCENT INSULATING BUILDING BLOCK 1 Claim.

My invention relates to light transmitting hollow building blocks, and more particularly to features thereof described in my copending United States application for patent filed June 25, 1936, Serial No. 87,271, of which this is a continuation-in-part which said application has matured as Patent No. 2,111,569, granted March 22, 1938, since the filing of this present application.

This application relates to light penetrable building blocks, and more particularly to such units adaptable for walls, partitions, roofiights and like parts of structures, in which, besides the insulation qualities, it is desired to have a maximum li ht volume penetration.

Such building blocks comprise, in general, two light pervious faces which are spaced apart but integrally connected around their edges by a continuous rim surroundin the block. In view of the distance between the faces of the block. in providing the air-pocket to form the unitary structure. preferably with partial vacuum, the surroundin rim being at substantially ri ht angles to the feces lies substantially parallel to any li ht rays that strike the face of the block at a normal angle. As li ht ravs impin ing on a glass roof. or on walls or artitions embod in hollow insulating glass blocks. are invariably at an angle to the block face. this results in the light rays which penetrate one face of the block. striking the rim on portions of its surface, either directly or after refract on.

In order that such light, passing one block face at an an le. should not be lost in a dark or lightabsorbing block rim, I provide for a maximum reflection of any such rays. in order that the maximum volume of light be carried to the second block face, and thereby throu h. the whole block.

In the practice of my invention. in the case of the form of block shown in my original ap lication, of which this is a continuation-in-part. 1 there stated that the or frame material may be glazed or fashioned and formed as to color. which was for the purpose of surfacing the rim so that the light striking at an angle would be reflected. That is accomplished by the color or by surfacing, or by glazing, for the purpose of reflecting the light. In actual construction I have found that a light coloring which was substantially white, permitted a full, or practically complete light transmission for the full area of the block faces even though the approaching light angle was not normal to the face. When the hollow insulating light block has a rim of glass or transparent or translucent material, I put the white coloring or the reflecting surface on the outside of the glass rim. This permits the light that might go through the material of the rim, to be reflected by the outer surface and back into the block and through the other face of the block. This becomes of importance when the hollow insulating light blocks have been laid up in walls or partitions, with mortar between their adjacent rim sides, and the character of the mortar or like material, and its color, has resulted in a practical absorption of light rays penetrating to the rim of the block. From this it will be noted that with my construction the reflecting coating on the outside of the block rim conceals the mortar. as well as reflecting the light penetrating the rim.

The accompanying drawing shows only one form of block, while this application is addressed to the particular inventions herein claimed, as applied to light penetrable hollow insulating blocks of any form.

The accompanying drawing is the same as those in my original application, of which this is a continuation-in-part. There has been added the designation of certain parts of the illustrated structure, in view of the subject-matter of this application, and in accordance with the description in the original application.

Fig. I is perspective of a light pervious hollow building block.

Fig. II is a section of one form, as at II-II, Fig. I.

Fig. III is a view of a block and normal to the main faces for direct light transmission.

The hollow building block has a rim I of glass or other material, airtight and non-pervious to moisture, consolidated with block faces 2 and 4, thus forming a translucent hollow hermetically sealed building block. Rim and faces may be of material, pressed to form, fused together, or otherwise produced. and this case involved the treatment of rim surface for most effective light transmission as referred to in my original application of which this is a continuation.

Pertinent to the subject-matter herein claimed. the surfacing or treatment on the inner side of the rim is shown at A, which may be the finished glazing on certain materials, or if the block is assembled without substantial heat such inner surface A may be painted, or otherwise suitably finished for my purpose.

When the block rim is made of glass or light penetrable material, as described in my original application, I may apply the light reflecting surfacing B on the outside of the block rim. This may be painted on or a formation of the surface provided, so that light rays penetrating a face of the block at an angle and striking the rim, when made of light transmitting material, will pass to the outer surface of the rim and there be reflected back so as not to be absorbed, but to be reflected and therefore add to the volume of light passing through the block as a whole. This treatment of the block for maximum light volume penetration applies more particularly to such blocks that are made under heat treatment for their assembly, but in which the light penetrable rim permits the effective result I desire to be accomplished by It will be understood that variations in the form and dimensions of blocks, and material, may be made, and likewise the surfacing by glazing, coloring, or other suitable treatment, may vary in many Ways without departing from my invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A building block formed as a unit having an integral narrow surrounding glass rim as a load carrying part of said unit, two spaced light penetrable faces permanently combined with said rim and therewith forming a hollow insulating block, and a light reflecting surface coating on treatment of the outer surface of the rim after 15 the outside of said rim.

the block has cooled.

LOGAN WILLARD MULFORD. 

